The present invention relates to a method and a system for linking web sites, and more particularly to a method and a system for linking web sites which allows a user to link a client computer with a web site in World Wide Web by inputting a web site address in the browser of the client computer.
In the world of Internet, every node is assigned with a unique IP address according to the TCP/IP protocol. Likewise, a web site in World Wide Web has its own unique IP address. However, these IP addresses are expressed in numbers and not easy to memorize. Therefore the web site addresses to be used are always denoted by a string of English letter. For example, the web site, www.hinet.net, is in Taiwan popular for those who use Internet often, while its IP address, 168.95.1.83, is barely familiar to people.
With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional way of linking web sites is illustrated. First, a client computer 100 and a server mainframe 200 is connected through network connection 150, allowing a user to send a request to the server for web site connection. In general, this is done by entering the address of the web site 300 in the input URL box on the screen of the browser 102 in the client computer 100, or by clicking a hyperlink for the web site 300 on the same browser 102. The server then inquires the Domain Name System (DNS) for the IP address of the web site 300 according the text in the input URL box or the hyperlink. The DNS replies the IP address of the web site 300 and the server connects the web site 300 according the replied address. The homepage 302 of the web site 300 then displays on the browser 102.
For example, a user enters www.hinet.net in the input URL box of his or her browser if he or she wants to connect HiNet. The browser inquires DNS about www.hinet.net and DNS replies its IP address, 168.95.1.83. The user then can see the homepage of HiNet on his or her browser.
In the net architecture of FIG. 1, the network connection 150 is not restricted to wired network. It can be wireless network, too. Similarly, the client computer device 100 is not restricted to a personal computer (PC), notebook (NB) or palm-sized computer, either. It can be a carry-on device, such as a set top box, other similar information appliance (IA) or personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other communication device capable for Internet, such as a WAP cellular phone set. However, for the sake of easy carry, there is only a simple keypad accompanied with the equipment of set top box, PDA, or WAP cellular phone set. Therefore, the traditional way of net connection is not appropriate for these kinds of equipment due to the difficulty of entering text web addresses.
In addition, text web address is getting lengthy for newly registered web sites to avoid duplicate names with registered web sites, making worse the condition of using text web addresses.
In fact, there is always some kind of meanings with a text web address. Therefore, it is inevitable for some text web addresses to be the same as or similar to other test web addresses. As we can see, there are indeed some ones who registers in some brand names belonging to famous companies for illegal profit. As a result, the traditional net connection of using text web addresses is hard to authenticate and administrate.
In addition to the difficulty of authentication and administration, the traditional net connection of using text web addresses needs extra memory space for saving data, such as the names of people, companies, groups, addresses, telephone numbers, and IP addresses.
In addition to text, there are multimedia data of voice and image in today""s Internet. Therefore, there are more and more people using Internet. However, the IP addresses are still basically English in current net connection method and system, which is not convenient for non-English or illiterate people.
The main object of present invention is to provide with a method and a system of Linking web sites, which are applicable for the Internet devices with simple keypads, such as a set top box, personal digital assistant (PDA), or a WAP cellular phone set.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the IP addresses are easy to authenticate and administrate in the method and system of Linking web sites.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is no need of extra memory space for extra data in the method and system of linking web sites.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the method and system of Linking web sites are also easy to use for non-English or illiterate people.
A method for linking web sites, which is used for connecting a client computer with a desired web site in World Wide Web via a system for linking web sites including a channel code-IP address database, of which each channel code is assigned to a web site address having a corresponding IP address stored in the database, comprising the steps of: (1) inputting by a user a channel code in the form of digital number in the client computer for making a request for web site linking through the system for linking web sites; (2) having the system for linking web sites perform a search based on the input channel code in the database, if there is no channel code stored in the database found to be matched with the input one, then going to step (3); and if there is a channel code found to be matched with the input one, then converting the web site address found in the database into its corresponding IP address and going to step (4); (3) sending a message indicating the failure of the channel code search by the system for linking web sites to the client computer, for advising the user to re-input another channel code and then going to step (1); and (4) connecting the web site corresponding to the IP address obtained from the step (2) to the client computer to thereby send the homepage of the connected web site to the client computer. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system for linking web sites consists of a system for linking web sites that is used for connecting a client computer with a web site in World Wide Web, which comprises: a database, which contains IP addresses and their corresponding records of channel codes assigned to corresponding web site addresses; a receiving module, for accepting connection request from users at client computer; a searching module, for searching whether there is a channel code in the database found to be matched with the input channel code; and a responding module, for sending messages to the client computer according to the search results from the searching module; when there is no matched channel code, a message indicating the failure of the channel code search is sent to the client computer and when there is a matched channel code, the matched channel code is converted into its corresponding IP address and then a web site corresponding to the IP address is connected to the client computer by the responding module.
The coding method for the country codes and area codes for the channel code mentioned above is not strictly defined. However, it is better to code them following the international telephone switch system. Accordingly, not only the client devices with keypads, such as personal computers (PCs), notebooks (NBs) or palm-sized computers, but also the client devices with simple numeric keypads, such as set top boxes, personal digital assistants and WAP cellular phone sets, can connect Internet and browse web sites as easily as dialing telephone numbers.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the System for linking web sites can be embedded in the computer devices of PCs, NBs or palm-sized computers, or in computer servers. They can also be integrated as a peripheral device for connecting other computer devices or servers. Some of the composites of the connection of the present invention can also be embedded in the computer devices while the rest of the composites are installed in the computer devices that connect the former computer devices. Therefore, the arrangement of the System for linking web sites of the present invention is not strictly defined. Its arrangement is adjustable depending on its applications.